DYI gravel bikes
07-14-23, 05:58 AM
#76
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There are obviously a lot of different bikes you can ride on gravel. Personally I focus on two things: bike fit (which obviously always matters) and tire size. They say that size doesn't always matter but it does when it comes to tire size. I like a fatter tire when riding gravel. The 650b conversions make sense to me as well as the drop bar conversions for hybrids and mountain bikes for that reason.
I've always liked the design on some of the Grant Peteron/Bridgestone era XO bikes. Some of those bikes had road geometry and 26 inch wheels. Back in the 90s, if you wanted a fat tire, you used a 26 inch wheel. The XO series were marketed as "fire road" bikes since gravel riding was not yet a thing. They never really took off except among the B'stone cult. This is my 1993 Bridgestone XO 2. I run 26 x 1.75 tires on it. The bike has the same geometry as the XO 1 and the bar and stem are original to the bike. The catalog page below the pic of the bike explains some of the design choices behind the bike. The bike is super comfortable for long distances and can handle most any road surface short of single track.
I've always liked the design on some of the Grant Peteron/Bridgestone era XO bikes. Some of those bikes had road geometry and 26 inch wheels. Back in the 90s, if you wanted a fat tire, you used a 26 inch wheel. The XO series were marketed as "fire road" bikes since gravel riding was not yet a thing. They never really took off except among the B'stone cult. This is my 1993 Bridgestone XO 2. I run 26 x 1.75 tires on it. The bike has the same geometry as the XO 1 and the bar and stem are original to the bike. The catalog page below the pic of the bike explains some of the design choices behind the bike. The bike is super comfortable for long distances and can handle most any road surface short of single track.
Last edited by bikemig; 07-14-23 at 06:25 AM.
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07-14-23, 06:55 AM
#77
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sachs success RD...$35
full bike prior...$400 shipped
saddle...at swap meet...$15
brakeset...$45
chain...reused from prior mtn bike
8 spd cassette...swap meet $20
so yeah, much better than new, perfect geometry, $800ish
07-14-23, 07:42 AM
#78
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There was a time when the Tour de France was run over dirt roads, as late as the middle 1970’s. Merckx used a Colnago.
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07-14-23, 08:12 AM
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There are obviously a lot of different bikes you can ride on gravel. Personally I focus on two things: bike fit (which obviously always matters) and tire size. They say that size doesn't always matter but it does when it comes to tire size. I like a fatter tire when riding gravel. The 650b conversions make sense to me as well as the drop bar conversions for hybrids and mountain bikes for that reason.
I've always liked the design on some of the Grant Peteron/Bridgestone era XO bikes. Some of those bikes had road geometry and 26 inch wheels. Back in the 90s, if you wanted a fat tire, you used a 26 inch wheel. The XO series were marketed as "fire road" bikes since gravel riding was not yet a thing. They never really took off except among the B'stone cult. This is my 1993 Bridgestone XO 2. I run 26 x 1.75 tires on it. The bike has the same geometry as the XO 1 and the bar and stem are original to the bike. The catalog page below the pic of the bike explains some of the design choices behind the bike. The bike is super comfortable for long distances and can handle most any road surface short of single track.
I've always liked the design on some of the Grant Peteron/Bridgestone era XO bikes. Some of those bikes had road geometry and 26 inch wheels. Back in the 90s, if you wanted a fat tire, you used a 26 inch wheel. The XO series were marketed as "fire road" bikes since gravel riding was not yet a thing. They never really took off except among the B'stone cult. This is my 1993 Bridgestone XO 2. I run 26 x 1.75 tires on it. The bike has the same geometry as the XO 1 and the bar and stem are original to the bike. The catalog page below the pic of the bike explains some of the design choices behind the bike. The bike is super comfortable for long distances and can handle most any road surface short of single track.
1992 Bridgestone Xo-2 59cm $700
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07-14-23, 08:21 AM
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Thanks for posting this one. I always think hard about these XO's when they pop up for sale. i suspect they'd handle any gravel riding I want to do. I like the fork on yours. A lot of them I see have a unicrown fork which ultimately prevents from laying down the bigger bucks these bikes bring. For instance, this one is listed as a '92, but I suspect it's later.
1992 Bridgestone Xo-2 59cm $700
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07-14-23, 08:29 AM
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So over $900. That's still genuinely really neat, but it's a far cry from 'a few hundred'. I love these sort of projects, I honestly do. And your bike with the deep wheels looks cool- I always like carbon wheels paired to small diameter steel tubing.
It's just way more than 'a few hundred'. It's also a lot less than a few thousand, to be fair. Though it's not like nothing different exists on a bike that costs a few thousand- a few thousand gets you 11sp STI shifting, hydraulic brakes, carbon fork, wider tire clearance, sometimes a carbon seatpost, etc.
^if all that means nothing to you, totally cool. But it's of value to many. It's clear that most don't want to use downtube shifters on gravel at this point.
At $900, bikes like Poseidon Redwood, Poseidon X, and State's 4130 AR cost $900 or less new.
The State bike is here- https://www.statebicycle.com/product...hoC32oQAvD_BwE
Again though, and this is genuine- I love the creativity that goes into making old frames good for modern use cases.
My pushback comes when people then claim stuff like 'new is a waste' because an older bike happens to work for how they want to ride.
07-14-23, 09:21 AM
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The UCI rules state that any bike can be a gravel bike.
"BIKES Any style of bike shall be permitted. E-bikes are not allowed. Handlebars can be of any shape but must be of a one-piece construction with no bar ends or clip-on extensions allowed (triathlon handlebars and any other handlebars extension system are forbidden)."
Notice: EBIKES CANNOT BE GRAVEL BIKES.
Significant Gravel Race winners have won on MTBs, Road Racing Bikes, and Endurance Bikes (whatever they are)
"BIKES Any style of bike shall be permitted. E-bikes are not allowed. Handlebars can be of any shape but must be of a one-piece construction with no bar ends or clip-on extensions allowed (triathlon handlebars and any other handlebars extension system are forbidden)."
Notice: EBIKES CANNOT BE GRAVEL BIKES.
Significant Gravel Race winners have won on MTBs, Road Racing Bikes, and Endurance Bikes (whatever they are)
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I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
Last edited by Classtime; 07-14-23 at 09:28 AM.
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07-14-23, 09:24 AM
#83
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You said for a few hundred. Then you list $850 in costs. And that doesn't include tape, pedals, cables and housing, levers, etc. Perhaps you had all of that on hand, but those are also costs nonetheless.
So over $900. That's still genuinely really neat, but it's a far cry from 'a few hundred'. I love these sort of projects, I honestly do. And your bike with the deep wheels looks cool- I always like carbon wheels paired to small diameter steel tubing.
It's just way more than 'a few hundred'. It's also a lot less than a few thousand, to be fair. Though it's not like nothing different exists on a bike that costs a few thousand- a few thousand gets you 11sp STI shifting, hydraulic brakes, carbon fork, wider tire clearance, sometimes a carbon seatpost, etc.
^if all that means nothing to you, totally cool. But it's of value to many. It's clear that most don't want to use downtube shifters on gravel at this point.
At $900, bikes like Poseidon Redwood, Poseidon X, and State's 4130 AR cost $900 or less new.
The State bike is here- https://www.statebicycle.com/product...hoC32oQAvD_BwE
Again though, and this is genuine- I love the creativity that goes into making old frames good for modern use cases.
My pushback comes when people then claim stuff like 'new is a waste' because an older bike happens to work for how they want to ride.
So over $900. That's still genuinely really neat, but it's a far cry from 'a few hundred'. I love these sort of projects, I honestly do. And your bike with the deep wheels looks cool- I always like carbon wheels paired to small diameter steel tubing.
It's just way more than 'a few hundred'. It's also a lot less than a few thousand, to be fair. Though it's not like nothing different exists on a bike that costs a few thousand- a few thousand gets you 11sp STI shifting, hydraulic brakes, carbon fork, wider tire clearance, sometimes a carbon seatpost, etc.
^if all that means nothing to you, totally cool. But it's of value to many. It's clear that most don't want to use downtube shifters on gravel at this point.
At $900, bikes like Poseidon Redwood, Poseidon X, and State's 4130 AR cost $900 or less new.
The State bike is here- https://www.statebicycle.com/product...hoC32oQAvD_BwE
Again though, and this is genuine- I love the creativity that goes into making old frames good for modern use cases.
My pushback comes when people then claim stuff like 'new is a waste' because an older bike happens to work for how they want to ride.
correct, I reused the levers, had spare tape and pedals, with the DT levers i was able to carry over the cable housing, and i frankly hadn't added it up before this thread
so a few became a few more:-)
and when my wife asks its still a few hundred...
I agree, on technical hilly gravel, the DT shifters are a penalty as I grind more than I like, but on flat rouleur terrain, its awesome, smooth shifting and really overall low maintenance
and frankly, the ergo shifting/STi shifting is superior overall in performance granted, til it breaks or til the maintenance comes into play (which simply takes time). I run it on my roadie only and love it too.
Don't get me wrong, I never said anything against new technology, I just asserted my love of what I have, the process and thinking it through, and get it on the selection.
I think mostly geography has a lot to do with it, what works in the midwest (where i am) is different than out west, which is different than the NE gravel which is different than the SE/florida area choices
actually the carbon hoops is a new technology I love, and use
If someone wants a $15k diverge...have at it
If someone wants a new 12 speed cluster in the rear and feels it is really the difference for them, knock it out
My needs are simply different, I smile when i ride this girl, and think alot about the parts I use
I have several others, each are special to me
07-14-23, 09:35 AM
#84
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Apologies if this was already referenced, but Mike Kone's Philly Bike Expo presentation from a few years ago is on-point. You may feel differently about specifics but suitability of vintage bikes for offroad/gravel riding is well explained. You can find there: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fnp9xd8tbz...point.pdf?dl=0
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1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, 197? Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1971 Raleigh International, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I
Curator/Team Mechanic: 2016 Dawes Streetfighter, 1984 Lotus Eclair, 1975 Motobecane Jubile Mixte, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Free Spirit Ted Williams, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Philips Sport
1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, 197? Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1971 Raleigh International, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I
Curator/Team Mechanic: 2016 Dawes Streetfighter, 1984 Lotus Eclair, 1975 Motobecane Jubile Mixte, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Free Spirit Ted Williams, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Philips Sport
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07-14-23, 09:43 AM
#85
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While we're piling on with our examples, this is a 1970 Raleigh Pro Mk I that chews up any road surface and more than holds it's own on basic singletrack up to some rocky/rooty stuff.
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1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, 197? Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1971 Raleigh International, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I
Curator/Team Mechanic: 2016 Dawes Streetfighter, 1984 Lotus Eclair, 1975 Motobecane Jubile Mixte, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Free Spirit Ted Williams, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Philips Sport
1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, 197? Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1971 Raleigh International, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I
Curator/Team Mechanic: 2016 Dawes Streetfighter, 1984 Lotus Eclair, 1975 Motobecane Jubile Mixte, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Free Spirit Ted Williams, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Philips Sport
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07-14-23, 09:54 AM
#86
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Bridgestones tend to command a premium but yeah that's a lot of money for that bike. For significantly less money, you can get a top notch vintage MTB with nicer parts. I like how Peterson spec'd real fork crowns on his bike. It's a nice touch. The 26 inch wheel bridgestones are interesting bikes and they tend to have road bike geometry which helps if converting to drops. The catalogs are online and they have detailed info on the frame geometry.
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07-14-23, 10:30 AM
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Repurposing an old bike is fun. Economically speaking commercially produced bikes have never been affordable for some. When the first Stump Jumpers came out in the early 80's there is no way I could afford one. Still, we keep rehashing the old ways and in renaming our needs come up with the same answers.
1981 Stump Jumper Advertisement 750 USD
In 1981 750 USD had the buying power of about 3000 USD today. Maybe more.
Well guess what?
I still can't afford an original Stump Jumper... Ha
So... DIY Gravel Bike? Hell yes!
1981 Stump Jumper Advertisement 750 USD
In 1981 750 USD had the buying power of about 3000 USD today. Maybe more.
Well guess what?
I still can't afford an original Stump Jumper... Ha
So... DIY Gravel Bike? Hell yes!
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No matter where you're at... There you are... Δf:=f(1/2)-f(-1/2)
No matter where you're at... There you are... Δf:=f(1/2)-f(-1/2)
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07-14-23, 10:48 AM
#88
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Last year I purchased a modern endurance bike that would accept 35 mm tires. These are the advantages It had for me over my drop bar mountain bike with 3x7 gearing and my Raleigh Competition:
1. Tubeless rims allowed for lower pressures and a better ride.
2. Docs brakes were more reliable in wet and muddy conditions.
3. Quick gear changes and lots of range in the cassette.
4. N+1
5. It was used and cheaper than upgrading existing bikes to a similar level.
1. Tubeless rims allowed for lower pressures and a better ride.
2. Docs brakes were more reliable in wet and muddy conditions.
3. Quick gear changes and lots of range in the cassette.
4. N+1
5. It was used and cheaper than upgrading existing bikes to a similar level.
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In search of what to search for.
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07-14-23, 02:23 PM
#89
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Some ideas here?
https://www.rsf.org.uk/
https://www.rsf.org.uk/
07-14-23, 03:36 PM
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07-14-23, 09:12 PM
#91
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My DIY gravel bike:
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There were 135 Confentes, but only one...Huffente!
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07-15-23, 08:00 AM
#92
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Apologies if this was already referenced, but Mike Kone's Philly Bike Expo presentation from a few years ago is on-point. You may feel differently about specifics but suitability of vintage bikes for offroad/gravel riding is well explained. You can find there: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fnp9xd8tbz...point.pdf?dl=0
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07-15-23, 08:00 AM
#93
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Got any details on that Huffy, that looks seriously fun!
07-15-23, 08:33 AM
#94
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1980 Huffy Le Grande rebuilt as a 23lb Campagnolo Super Record race machine. Even just saying that cracks me up inside. It shouldn't exist. But it does.
Huge disclaimer: This will take you down the rabbit hole.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ege-build.html
Huge disclaimer: This will take you down the rabbit hole.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ege-build.html
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07-15-23, 12:23 PM
#96
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07-15-23, 01:43 PM
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Low cost is possible with vintage. I have a couple that are about as cheap as can be.
#1: A circa 1991-92 Gary Fisher Montare (read somwshere that it is a Bill Stevenson design). Has 7 speed Deore DX and 2 lever thumbies. I bought it for $35, Clean, Lube Adjust, then added new Ritchie grips @ $15 plus some used $10 fenders from my local co-op brings it to $60. 26" Knobbies and a very comfortable Vettta saddle with lots of "Beausage". Great as is on gravel, a very fast climbing bike but one must keep the speed down on descents due to its short wheel base.
#2: A 1988 HKII with 7 speed Deore SIS with single lever thumbies and worn but still ok 26" X 1.95 Maxies. Bought for $200, then found a near new version of the Vetta saddle for $35.00 on eBay, don't remember shipping cost, It's good on gravel but I will eventually buy better tires. Don
1991 or 1992 Gary Fisher Montare
Well used Vetta Saddle
1988 Fisher HKII
HKII now has a Nice Vetta Saddle
#1: A circa 1991-92 Gary Fisher Montare (read somwshere that it is a Bill Stevenson design). Has 7 speed Deore DX and 2 lever thumbies. I bought it for $35, Clean, Lube Adjust, then added new Ritchie grips @ $15 plus some used $10 fenders from my local co-op brings it to $60. 26" Knobbies and a very comfortable Vettta saddle with lots of "Beausage". Great as is on gravel, a very fast climbing bike but one must keep the speed down on descents due to its short wheel base.
#2: A 1988 HKII with 7 speed Deore SIS with single lever thumbies and worn but still ok 26" X 1.95 Maxies. Bought for $200, then found a near new version of the Vetta saddle for $35.00 on eBay, don't remember shipping cost, It's good on gravel but I will eventually buy better tires. Don
1991 or 1992 Gary Fisher Montare
Well used Vetta Saddle
1988 Fisher HKII
HKII now has a Nice Vetta Saddle
Last edited by ollo_ollo; 07-16-23 at 11:36 PM. Reason: spelling, unscramble grammar & dates
07-15-23, 01:50 PM
#98
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Low cost is possible with vintage. I have a couple that are about as cheap as can be.
#1: A circa 1993 Gary Fisher Montare, with 7 speed Deore DX and 2 lever thumbies, bought for $35, Clean, Lube Adjust, then added new Ritchie grips @ $15 plus used some $10 fenders from my local co-op brings it to $60. 26" X 1.95" Knobbies and a very comfortable Vettta saddle with lots of "Beausage". Great as is on gravel, a very fast climbing bike but one needs to keep the speed down on descents due to its short wheel base.
#2: A 1988 HKII with 7 speed Deore SIS with single lever thumbies and worn but still ok 26 X 1.98 Maxies. Bought for $200, then found a near new new version of the Vetta saddle for $35.00 on eBay, don't remember shipping cost, It's good on gravel but I will eventually buy better tires. Don
snip . . .
#1: A circa 1993 Gary Fisher Montare, with 7 speed Deore DX and 2 lever thumbies, bought for $35, Clean, Lube Adjust, then added new Ritchie grips @ $15 plus used some $10 fenders from my local co-op brings it to $60. 26" X 1.95" Knobbies and a very comfortable Vettta saddle with lots of "Beausage". Great as is on gravel, a very fast climbing bike but one needs to keep the speed down on descents due to its short wheel base.
#2: A 1988 HKII with 7 speed Deore SIS with single lever thumbies and worn but still ok 26 X 1.98 Maxies. Bought for $200, then found a near new new version of the Vetta saddle for $35.00 on eBay, don't remember shipping cost, It's good on gravel but I will eventually buy better tires. Don
snip . . .
07-15-23, 03:46 PM
#99
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07-16-23, 01:06 AM
#100
On the road
been wanting to make one but the bike has an odd size of wheels. I think it was a 29” wheels.
When converting to a 700c, I had to use long reach ubrakes. tried to use bigger size tyre but the clearance was minimum. dropped the plan instead
When converting to a 700c, I had to use long reach ubrakes. tried to use bigger size tyre but the clearance was minimum. dropped the plan instead